If you hate karaoke and public speaking is one of your greatest fears, then the whole idea of acting out your fantasies probably sounds about as appealing as, well, karaoke and public speaking. If that’s you, then you can use Halloween to gently test the sexual benefits of role-playing. It’s the perfect excuse to become someone else for the night, which ultimately means having sex like someone else: trying new positions, using new props, saying new, dirty (or dirtier) things…

Make sure you’ve got a costume party to go to — a legitimate excuse to dress up will help motivate you.

Wear something out of character that makes you feel sexy and use it as an excuse to act a little differently — no one will think you’re weird, they’ll just think you’re committing to the costume. So if you tend to be a wallflower in your daily life, then try an outfit that’s empowering, like “police officer” or “royalty.” If you’re a career-minded, tough-talking go-getter, then try something a little more vulnerable, like Little Red Riding Hood or a retro newsie.

Try to coordinate costumes with your partner so your sexy vampire doesn’t end up hand-in-hand with a decidedly unsexy home-made garbage bag of M&Ms. You two should be on the same page.

Costumes that helps create or emphasize a certain sexual power dynamic are good choices: doctor/nurse and patient, priest and nun, soldier and interrogator, police officer and law breaker, Victorian school marm and school girl/boy, cheerleader and star football player…

When you get home with your partner, keep the costume on and stay in character while you start making out. You don’t necessarily need a script and a specific scenario to act out: an outfit can be enough to affect the way you touch, kiss, and talk. The stupendous sex will practically happen by itself. And then you’ll be a convert.